The Strength of the PCS: COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS

by Dr. Jeanette Silao, FPCS

Congratulations to the Philippine College of Surgeons on its 75th Anniversary! In human years, one is usually thankful to God for having been given a long life. These twilight years are usually spent reminiscing the highlights of a fruitful life. The highlights of one's life, as everyone will agree, are what you have done for others.

In institution years, 75 years of existence is just a few decades from inception. Each year is seen as a milestone of growth and further strength, the development of newer programs and reaching greater heights. An institution’s growth is derived from good governance, while its strength is equivalent to the breath of the foundation it has laid down. A solid foundation is as solid as its programs. The PCS' foundation is nothing less than solid as its programs are directed to benefit the community.

Volunteerism in the Service of the Underserved

by Eric SM Talens, MD, MS, FPCS, FACS


“To serve the underserved”, is the motto of the Ugnayan ng Pahinungod, the volunteer service of the University of the Philippines. Alive and well, volunteerism thrives in the midst of the bustling patient care in the Philippine General Hospital and the academe of UP-Manila.

In counter-response to the perception that the UP had “lost its soul”, the Ugnayan ng Pahinungod was established in September 1996 by then UP President Emil Javier, institutionalizing volunteerism within the university.

Pahinugod, a Cebuano term for ‘offering oneself’, became the moniker for the UP-deployed volunteer. Various projects from educational assistance programs (tutorial services, teacher development, Gurong Pahinungod), to hospital and community health programs (ER volunteer program, health missions, health training), to social welfare programs (program for street children, disaster response and preparedness program), as well as to volunteer advocacy and research programs, had been regular activities of the volunteer service. In the previous year, Ugnayan ng Pahinujngod of UP-Manila deployed a total of 1252 volunteers in 128 underserved communities.